Washington and Lee University , mottoeng = "Not Unmindful of the Future" , established = , type = Private liberal arts university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.092 billion (2021) , president = William C. Dudley , provost = Lena Hill , city = Lexingto ...

is led by a

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

selected by the Board of Trustees. The university was founded in 1749 as Augusta Academy. It later became Liberty Hall Academy (1782), Washington Academy (1798), Washington College (1813), and finally Washington and Lee University (1871). The office of president was not created until 1782.

Presidents

# Robert Alexander, Augusta Academy 1749–1762 # John Brown, Augusta Academy 1762–1776 # William Graham, Liberty Hall Academy 1782–1796 # Samuel Legrande Campbell, Liberty Hall Academy 1797–1798, Washington Academy 1798–1799 # Rev. George A. Baxter, Washington Academy 1799–1813, Washington College 1813–1829 # Rev.

Henry Ruffner Henry Ruffner (January 16, 1790 – December 17, 1861), was an educator and Presbyterian minister, who served as president of Washington College (now Washington and Lee University). Although a slaveholder (and whose family had long owned slaves), ...

(acting), Washington College 1829–1830, 1834 #

Louis Marshall Louis Marshall (December 14, 1856 – September 11, 1929) was an American corporate, constitutional and civil rights lawyer as well as a mediator and Jewish community leader who worked to secure religious, political, and cultural freedom for a ...

, Washington College 1830–1834 # Henry Vethake, Washington College 1834–1836 # Rev.

, Washington College 1836–1848 # Rev.

George Junkin Reverend George Junkin D.D., LL.D (November 1, 1790 – May 20, 1868) was an American educator and Presbyterian minister who served as the first and third president of Lafayette College and later as president of Miami University and Washington ...

, Washington College 1848–1861 (vacant), Washington College 1861–1865 # Robert E. Lee, Washington College 1865–1870 #

George Washington Custis Lee George Washington Custis Lee (September 16, 1832 – February 18, 1913), also known as Custis Lee, was the eldest son of Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee. His grandfather George Washington Custis was the step-grandson and adopted son of G ...

, 1871–1897 #

William Lyne Wilson William Lyne Wilson (May 3, 1843 – October 17, 1900) was an American politician and lawyer from West Virginia. A Bourbon Democrat, Wilson was elected to the United States Congress in 1882 and served six terms of office, ending in 1895. Followi ...

, 1897–1900 #

Henry St. George Tucker III Henry St. George Tucker III (April 5, 1853 – July 23, 1932) was a representative from the Commonwealth of Virginia to the United States House of Representatives, professor of law, and president of the American Bar Association. Early and fami ...

(acting), 1900–1901 #

George H. Denny George Hutcheson Denny (December 3, 1870 – April 2, 1955) was an American academic and former president at both Washington and Lee University and the University of Alabama. Both a football coach and an educator, he ultimately was appointed Washi ...

, 1901–1911 # Henry D. Campbell (acting) and

John L. Campbell John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

(acting), 1911–1912 # Henry L. Smith 1912–1929 # Robert H. Tucker (acting), 1930 #

Francis Pendleton Gaines Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome * Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) Places * Rural ...

1930–1959 # Fred C. Cole, 1959–1967 #

William Webb Pusey III William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Eng ...

(acting), 1967–1968 # Robert E. R. Huntley, 1968–1983 # John Delane Wilson 1983–1995 #

John William Elrod John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

1995–2001 # H. Laurent Boetsch Jr. (acting) 2001–2002 #

Thomas Gerard Burish Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

, 2002–2005 #

Harlan Ray Beckley Harlan is a given name and a surname which may refer to: Surname *Bob Harlan (born 1936 Robert E. Harlan), American football executive * Bruce Harlan (1926–1959), American Olympic diver * Byron B. Harlan (1886–1949), American politician *Byron ...

(acting), 2005–2006 # Kenneth Patrick Ruscio, 2006–2016 # William C. Dudley, 2017–present

References

History of Washington and Lee's Presidents
{{Washington and Lee University, state=uncollapsed Washington and Lee University presidents

Washington and Lee , mottoeng = "Not Unmindful of the Future" , established = , type = Private liberal arts university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.092 billion (2021) , president = William C. Dudley , provost = Lena Hill , city = Lexington ...